Chocolate Air...

I am an eighth grade language arts/social studies teacher in Ohio. I started this blog to keep track of all the great books I read so I could share them with my students. I now use this blog in class for book talks so my students can keep up to date on the world of books that I so dearly love. It is my hopes that this blog will continue to be a source of exciting book finds for my current and former students to explore. Send me your comments! I look forward to hearing from you!

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Stephen McCranie Skype Visit

My students have gobbled up the first and second books in the Mal and Chad series by Stephen McCranie. We are awaiting the third book, Belly Flop, as I type. We should get the newest book in the series next week, so what better way to continue the BESTEST excitement ever than to relive our Skype visit with the author.

Stephen illustrated using his Screen Share program. We loved this!

Look at our sixth graders! They were mesmerized! (It was their first Skype with a graphic novelist.)

WOW!

He also demonstrated how drawings begin with simple shapes...a circle, a square, and a triangle. Some very familiar characters appeared on the screen.

Stephen connected with students when he presented ideas on how to create a story...Who is your character? What does your character want? What is preventing your character from getting what he or she wants? (Hmm...where have my students heard this before?) :)

Stephen even led the students through a brainstorming session which resulted in this one-of-a-kind drawing! Amazing!

THANK YOU, Stephen McCranie, for taking time to meet with us and show us your amazing talent. We cannot wait to see what other works you create for us.